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This first sentence is for context and precedes the main sentence, the main sentence is the one that confuses me.
Die Generalität ist ein Geschmeiß des deutschen Volkes!
Sie ist ohne Ehre!
What is happening here grammatically? Why is sie ist used here instead of sie sind?
Because it must be feminine singular.
Check the first sentence:
Die Generalität ist ein Geschmeiß des deutschen Volkes!
Subject here is “die Generalität”, it’s feminine singular.
Now on to sentence two:
Sie ist ohne Ehre!
As “sie ist” is feminine singular, too, it must refer to “die Generalität” from the preceding sentence.
If you would refer to “das deutsche Volk”, you’d have to go with neuter singular, which would be “es ist”, so obviously no match here.
If it were “sie sind” you’d need something in plural, which can’t be found in the preceding sentence.
The collective noun would be translated as "the entirety of generals" in the same vein as words like aristocracy, citizenry or clergy. Then he goes on to say that the generals, as individuals, only call themselves that because they were at military academies.
